I’ve always had a hard time with Nebraska winters. I struggle with both the bitter cold and the relentless grayness - from the sky all the way down to the sludge that gets tracked into the house. Every year, when the first ice storm hits, I think, “Why on earth do we live here?! It’s clearly uninhabitable.”

As the days once again get shorter and shorter, I’m choosing (and I’ll be honest, sometimes forcing myself) to see Winter in a new way. I’ve decided to stop looking at the season as something to fight through with the dreaded Christmas smack in the middle of it (more on Christmas later). Instead, I’m looking at Winter through a spiritual lens.

Spiritually and metaphorically, Winter is a time of renewal. It’s when the soil rests and animals hibernate. Winter is when things seem frozen and still, but Nature is really gathering Her energy to burst forward with something amazing and new in the Spring.

Winter is a great time to plan projects. To clear out space (both physical and mental) for new things to emerge. Clean out closets & files. Put down bad habits make room for better ones. Prepare for a new and beautiful year.

The days get shorter and darker until the Solstice on December 21st. From there on out, the light grows stronger and brighter and and darkness recedes. The possibilities for the new year are endless.

So how to get through these freezing, gloomy days? First, go back to your gratitude. Notice the beauty of the frost on the windows. Enjoy how the snow sparkles. Be grateful for warmth wherever you find it. Feel the joy in sipping something hot and dreaming about what you want to manifest in the coming year.

And second, think about what’s gestating under the surface. What will your new year bring? What preparations are you making this winter for something amazing to bloom in the Spring? How will you burst forth new and gorgeous? Winter is the time to start building those roots.

Sleep a little more than usual. Gather your energy. Gather your thoughts. Lay some ground work. Enjoy this quiet(er) time. Put on your warmest, fuzziest sweater, and prepare to welcome back the sun.